Mehrten Ranch

Area: 742 acres

Location: Rancho Murrieta, Sacramento County, California

Date Acquired: 1996-2001

Acquisition Type: CNLM holds a conservation easement to protect imperiled species and habitats that exist on the preserve in perpetuity. The preserve is owned by third party.

Key Habitats:  California Annual and Perennial Grassland and Vernal Pools

Species of Special Interest to CNLM:  Vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi) ,  Swainson’s hawk (Buteo swainsoni) , California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiense) , Valley elderberry longhorn beetle (Desmocerus californicus dimorphus) ,  Burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia) and Western spadefoot toad (Spea hammondii)

Introduction

The Mehrten Ranch Preserve is part of the Laguna Creek Mitigation Bank, which was created to conserve grassland, scattered oaks, vernal pools, and seasonal creek habitats. The Preserve is owned and managed by Conservation Resources, LLC (El Dorado, CA). The Center for Natural Lands Management (CNLM) accepted conservation easements to 742 acres in four phases between 1996 and 2001. The role of CNLM is to monitor for easement and management plan compliance, in perpetuity.

Conservation Significance

This Preserve is on a rolling valley margin supporting grassland, scattered oaks, vernal pools, and seasonal creek habitats. The created vernal pools and seasonal wetlands provide habitat for the California tiger salamander (Ambystoma californiese), western spadefoot (Spea hammondii), vernal pool fairy shrimp (Branchinecta lynchi), and California fairy shrimp (Linderiella occidentalis).

Our Work

The goal for the Mehrten Ranch Preserve is to protect the habitats and species that depend upon the Preserve for survival. The primary management strategies used to accomplish this goal include cattle grazing and protection of riparian areas.